|
|
 |
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE | |
SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Luke Staley rushed for 165 yards and three touchdowns as No. 10 Brigham Young avoided the upset bug with a 59-21 Mountain West Conference victory over San Diego State. Staley set a school single-season record with his 17th rushing touchdown of the season, breaking the mark set by Waymon Hamilton in 1981. BYU (8-0, 4-0 WAC) pulled away in the second half to continue its best start since the national championship season of 1984, when the Cougars went 13-0. With five teams suffering their first loss Saturday, BYU joined top-ranked Miami and No. 3 Nebraska as the only remaining unbeaten teams in Division I-A. However, the Cougars are only 11th in the Bowl Championship Series standings due to a weak schedule. "As we looked at it this week, the only thing we can do is win," quarterback Brandon Doman said. "And all of a sudden, five teams get dropped off. We can't worry about what will happen in the future. BYU has got to take care of what BYU can." Doman completed 15-of-19 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns, including a 32-yard scoring strike to Soren Halladay that gave BYU a 31-14 lead with 10:22 remaining in the third period. BYU overcame a spectacular game by San Diego State's Larry Ned, who ran for 239 yards and went over 3,000 career rushing yards. "It was a phenomenal game for him," San Diego State coach Ted Tollner said. "The only thing that bothered him is the deflected pass for an interception. We was probably 80 percent and he ran for 240 yards against BYU." The 59 points allowed was a season high for the Aztecs (2-6, 1-3), who suffered their third straight loss. "Physically, we played hard, but we didn't play smart," Tollner added. San Diego State opened a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter on Ned's TD runs of one and 23 yards, but the Cougars scored the final 17 points of the period. "Their defense was doing an excellent job," Doman said. "Our offense has been going so well over the last seven games that I think I was a little greedy and expecting things to go well for us. And I started pushing it and the whole offense started pressing." BYU has scored at least 50 points in four of its wins this season and has averaged 59 in the last two games. The Cougars routed Air Force, 63-33, last week. After Matt Payne converted a 34-yard field goal, Staley put BYU ahead to stay with a 65-yard TD run with 5:21 to go. Issac Kelley returned an interception 60 yards with 1:46 left to give BYU a 10-point halftime margin. Staley scored his 17th touchdown on an eight-yard run that made it 52-21 with 7:38 remaining in the fourth quarter. Backup Charlie Peterson capped the scoring with a 68-yard TD strike to Toby Christensen with 4:38 to play. "(BYU coach) Gary Crowton came up to me on apologized and I said, 'You don't need to,'" Tollner said of BYU's late score. "We need to take care of our business on our side of the ball." Lon Sheriff completed 14-of-30 passes with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Aztecs, who outgained BYU on the ground, 285-218. Doman remained undefeated as BYU starter, improving to 10-0. He also won the final two games last season. The Cougars increased their lead in the all-time series to 19-6-1.
|
